Number of Homeless Iraq/Afghanistan Vets Tripled in 3 Years

          In the United States we talk a big game about supporting the men and women who serve in the military. Some of us show them a lot of respect and some of us not enough. I don't know how I feel about veterans. While I have immense respect and admiration for what they've gone through, without know why they did it I cannot accurately pass judgment. Maybe they did it for a love of their country and fellow man. Maybe they did it because they didn't see any better options out there. Regardless, I'm not judging. I am, however, judging those of us who claim to admire and appreciate them, but don't do anything about their present situation.

          I recently read an article in USA Today by Gregg Zoroya titled 'Up to 48,000 Aghan, Iraq Vets Homeless.' That's right, homeless. In the article, Zoroya reported that in 2013 nearly 48,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans we either homeless or enrolled in a federal program trying to keep them off of the streets. That figure is more than three times what it was in 2011.

          Now, in all fairness that sounds worse than it really is. The number of homeless veterans has been on the decline according o the Department of Veterans Affairs. What they've done is expanded efforts to identify and assist homeless veterans throughout all fifty states. That means more reports of homeless veterans, not more homeless veterans. Regardless, I'd say that 48,000 men and women who served in the two big wars of my lifetime being homeless is an unacceptable travesty. I'm not saying that because they are veterans they are more important, just that given what they've sacrificed for this nation we cannot ignore their struggles.

          The Department of Veterans Affairs has been doing all that they can to help homeless veterans and just locked in funding of $600 million for 2014-15. That money goes towards helping veterans keep their homes and their efforts include mediating with property owners, assisting with rent and utilities, moving expenses, child are, transportation, etc. I'd say they're holding up their end of the bargain as best they can.

          When you look at some of the other amounts that the federal government spends on bullshit programs and studies, you'll find that a lot of it could easily be shifted toward a more important and valuable program such as taking care of the men and women who have taken care of us. I'm not telling you this to make you go find a homeless veteran and give them a place to live and food to eat. I'm telling you this simply because it is our duty to at least be aware of the struggles that they continue to endure even after their time has been served. While we may not know what they went through overseas, we can sure as hell know what they're going through here and to ignore that is to spit in the face of all that they've done for us.

Here's hoping you give a damn,

-The Absurdist